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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 7:55:35 GMT -5
What an issue! Batman is incapacitated when a bullet is lodged close to his heart. As luck would have it, he's due to bust a drugs ring planning a shipment that week. He calls on Robin, Green Arrow, Green Lantern and Black Canary to assist him. For some reason, he spends the entire story in his costume, they even operate on him while he's wearing it (doesn't that go against hygiene rules?). During his period of being incapacitated, Arrow, Lantern, Robin and Canary pick up the slack. The druglord, based in Switzerland, is taking no chances, at one point having 'drugs' smuggled into the US. Actually, sugar. Green Arrow discovers sugar. With the clock ticking, it's up to the trio to break up the drugs ring. It's a most satisfying story. Now, Robin, Green Arrow and Black Canary are no strangers to dealing with street crime, but there was quite a novelty in seeing Green Lantern, usually found battling aliens in space, dealing with a drugs gang. It was a nice reminder of the fact that while dealing with cosmic/intergalactic menaces is crucial, there's still civilians on Earth to protect, especially against drugs rings. It was also satisfying to see Batman take a back seat and "direct traffic". It's great to see Batman in action, but for the purposes of the story, with a bullet lodged close to his heart, he has to play a managerial role. It all comes together very well. Definitely one of the best The Brave and The Bold issues I've read.
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Post by Cei-U! on Mar 24, 2019 9:07:09 GMT -5
B&B #100 was THE issue that elevated that title to the top of my must-buy list and made me a Jim Aparo fanatic for life.
Cei-U! I summon the personal milestone!
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Post by dbutler69 on Mar 24, 2019 9:37:26 GMT -5
I read Godzilla #10. A decent yarn. That kid, Rob, again steals Red Ronin and tries to use him to break up a bight between Godzilla and a huge, mutated Bigfoot balled Yetrigar, to no avail. I also read Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #232. Gerry Conway guest writer, and Ric Estrada and Jack Abel, guest artists. I really liked the writing (Conway's second fill-in issue and I've liked them both) but was not as big a fan of the art.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 10:21:36 GMT -5
B&B #100 was THE issue that elevated that title to the top of my must-buy list and made me a Jim Aparo fanatic for life. Cei-U! I summon the personal milestone! I picked up the "Showcase" volume a while back. Some of the stories seemed run of the mill, but B&B #100 is a top-notch tale. As I progress through the volume, the stories appear to be becoming more character-driven. I'm reading the 70s "The Defenders" tales, too. Some DC stories from a certain era seem more plot-driven, but it could be anyone in the stories. You could slot Green Arrow, Bats, Elongated Man, etc. Whereas the Defenders tales are *unique* to those characters so are character-driven. But the B&B stories are more character-driven as I progress. One slight criticism, though: occasionally one reads tales (featuring Bats) where he seems unconvinced by the paranormal, e.g. he'll see a ghost, but dismiss it. I am not sure anyone could be a non-believer in the DC or Marvel Universe.
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Post by Cei-U! on Mar 24, 2019 12:47:00 GMT -5
Roger Ebert used to call that "plot-induced stupidity."
Cei-U! I miss Ebert... Siskel, too!
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Post by chadwilliam on Mar 24, 2019 12:57:20 GMT -5
One slight criticism, though: occasionally one reads tales (featuring Bats) where he seems unconvinced by the paranormal, e.g. he'll see a ghost, but dismiss it. I am not sure anyone could be a non-believer in the DC or Marvel Universe. While Marvel made it clear early on that their characters existed within a shared universe (whether you go by those early Golden Age Human Torch/Sub Mariner battles or Spider-Man crossing over with The Fantastic Four as early as his first issue) one gets the impression that Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, et al existed in their own little worlds. Of course, All Star Comics would suggest otherwise, but when Jerry Siegel makes an appearance as "the creator of Superman" in Batman 13 or Superman remarks "I thought I was the only man who could fly" when he meets Mr. Mxzytplk in Superman 30, I think you can make a strong argument that what was going on over at All-Star isn't necessarily what was happening in a character's main titles. This changed later on of course, but for the longest time, it seemed as if each superhero were the only superhero in their world when it came to their own titles. I kind of like it like this since once you establish that a character such as The Spectre exists in the same universe as Batman, then the latter loses a lot of credibility as a Detective. "Seeing as how our culprit couldn't have simply vanished into thin air, Robin..." "Why couldn't he? I know 50 people who could have vanished into thin air, Batman!" "Well yes, but since he would also have had to have been able to leap 100 feet into the air to get out of this room..." "So?" I'm not saying this is a perfect approach as even without ghosts and magicians creeping into Batman comics from other titles, Batman had enough aliens and magical sprites in his own to keep him from ever being sure just what rules existed in his own world and don't get me started on the number of times that Perry White dismissed a claim of a UFO landing in Metropolis Park and thinking "Aliens in Metropolis? Ridiculous!", but I nevertheless appreciated the sense that if Batman said "There are no such things as ghosts!" then you could take him at his word. Of course, in a post regarding a team-up title such as Brave and the Bold I don't think my point stands up very well, but overall that's how I like to look at things.
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Post by beccabear67 on Mar 24, 2019 13:10:37 GMT -5
I'm now reading the '70s Captain Marvel #41-54. I'll want to see where Ms. Marvel #19 and Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2 fit in as I have those as well. #41-44 so afr and Steve Englehart and Al Milgrom have gotten off to an interesting start, Cap and Rick Jones are separated in #41 by the "Great Intelligence" who like the blue Kree likes war and wants to fight Capt. M for Rick Jones' brain or something... some really gorgeous art, and I always like Milgrom inking Milgrom in the issues without the all-star inking cast (with Wrightson, Austin, McLeod, and Russell it doesn't get much more all-star, but weren't some of these people and Milgrom working for DC at this same time???) Milgrom inking Milgrom has a Ditkoish quality I really like. I also like his inking of Byrne and Michael Golden, the only thing I ever disliked was him being in the corner box of Marvel Fanfare. These post-Starlin issues seem to be at a low value last time I looked, I doubt the recent female Marvel movie will change that. I'd like to get Superboy & Legion #221-onward at some time. I used to have most of them but having been read so long ago would be almost new for me like the Captain Marvels I never had are. Dig this great Milgrom-Wrightson cover!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 13:27:23 GMT -5
Chad, your post stands up very well, my friend, and makes perfect sense. It's another reason why I feel I should "live in the moment" when reading a title. Or else it all falls apart.
True, it can be distracting at times, e.g. those Perry White comments about aliens. But I suppose in the context of a story, such as Batman visiting a spooky mansion, it serves the story better if he dismisses the supernatural. It flows and works better than if he wanders up to a mansion and says, "Gotta be ghosts. After all, we're battling ghosts constantly elsewhere."
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 13:33:00 GMT -5
Expanding on Chad's point, the 1981 Superman/Spider-Man crossover is my favourite DC/Marvel crossover, but I have one complaint: the residents of New York seemed surprised to see a flying man, Superman.
Given that the likes of Iron Man and Thor, to name two, were flying constantly, Supes flying should not have been a surprise.
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Post by chadwilliam on Mar 24, 2019 14:56:52 GMT -5
Expanding on Chad's point, the 1981 Superman/Spider-Man crossover is my favourite DC/Marvel crossover, but I have one complaint: the residents of New York seemed surprised to see a flying man, Superman. Given that the likes of Iron Man and Thor, to name two, were flying constantly, Supes flying should not have been a surprise. Without remembering the scene in question, I do know that Stan Lee tried to avoid having heroes who could fly without some explainable means of propulsion ie. Thor being carried by his hammer after he tosses it into the sky; Iron Man's boots; etc. Is it possible that Superman just levitating through the air threw them for a loop? Now that I think about it though - wasn't the conceit behind those DC/Marvel team-ups that they took place in a shared universe? I'm trying to figure out why New Yorkers would be surprised to see Superman of all superheroes doing what Superman does.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 15:08:35 GMT -5
Yes, the first four crossovers (two Supes/Spidey, Batman/Hulk and X-Men/Teen Titans) all took place in a shared universe. Which I preferred, to be honest. So I wasn't so sure why New Yorkers were surprised by Supes' flying. I accept your point about Marvel heroes' propulsion, though.
The second Superman/Spidey crossover is near-perfect for me. It's still my favourite DC/Marvel crossover. It's just that that particular scene felt contrived.
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Post by Icctrombone on Mar 24, 2019 17:34:24 GMT -5
Yes, the first four crossovers (two Supes/Spidey, Batman/Hulk and X-Men/Teen Titans) all took place in a shared universe. Which I preferred, to be honest. So I wasn't so sure why New Yorkers were surprised by Supes' flying. I accept your point about Marvel heroes' propulsion, though. The second Superman/Spidey crossover is near-perfect for me. It's still my favourite DC/Marvel crossover. It's just that that particular scene felt contrived.I couldn't agree more. It's my favorite crossover just edging out JLA/Avengers. Dr. Doom is written right in this tale. I love that he gets away at the end because of diplomatic immunity.
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Post by String on Mar 24, 2019 18:25:15 GMT -5
Rom #37-40
#37 was the first Rom comic I ever bought back then, mostly because I loved King Arthur and his Knights so how can you resist that terrific cover? In this lot, Rom tries to suss out why the Dire Wraiths are after the children of Earth leading to a big sacrifice. Shang-Chi and the rest of his supporting cast make a worthy guest appearance in #38-39, credit to Mantlo for being able to weave the spirituality of Shang into this ongoing tale of good versus dark evil. Meanwhile, Brandy Clark unwittingly makes a deal with the devil in trying to retain the love of Rom. I love how Mantlo crafts this tale, his narrative caption boxes are great. Sal Buscema with Garvey conveys an almost mythological look and feel to this tragic quest of Rom. Some great issues here.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2019 18:33:28 GMT -5
Yes, the first four crossovers (two Supes/Spidey, Batman/Hulk and X-Men/Teen Titans) all took place in a shared universe. Which I preferred, to be honest. So I wasn't so sure why New Yorkers were surprised by Supes' flying. I accept your point about Marvel heroes' propulsion, though. The second Superman/Spidey crossover is near-perfect for me. It's still my favourite DC/Marvel crossover. It's just that that particular scene felt contrived.I couldn't agree more. It's my favorite crossover just edging out JLA/Avengers. Dr. Doom is written right in this tale. I love that he gets away at the end because of diplomatic immunity. I like the choice of villains in it. Having Luthor and Octopus as the villains in the first crossover, while interesting, was predictable. The second crossover could have predictably given us Green Goblin and Metallo or something. Doom always felt more like an FF villain than a Spidey one while Parasite was a villain of lesser renown. It was good to put those two together.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2019 3:00:18 GMT -5
I haven't read any DC Archives and Marvel Masterworks for two months now ... and hopefully after this Friday, my Club nightmare will cease to exist.
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